Hi James and Amanda (and everyone) - I teach Intro Psych in sections of 140 students. Intro Psych is one of the foundations of a typical American general education program. Thus, the majority of my students are first- or second-year students, are not majoring in psychology, and will likely never take another psychology course again. The majority of my students enter college required to complete either developmental reading or developmental math or both prior to beginning degree requirements (i.e., they are unprepared for the rigors of college work). I grade application exercises. Everyone in the team earns the same score on the exercise. Students who are absent work out an arrangement with their teammates that everyone feels is fair. Some teams ask the absent student to do more work on a subsequent activity; other teams grant the absent student grace depending on the reason for his/her absence and the frequency of the absences. I rely on students' responses to the peer evaluation to reflect their general sense of each teammate's contribution to the team. I concur with Amanda that students are often very generous in their peer evaluations. However, I'm not comfortable second-guessing the peer evaluations as I have too many teams to make valid or consistent judgments of the quality of their interactions. Teams take attendance on their team folders but attendance is not explicitly part of the final grade. I tell students that the attendance log is for their own reference when completing peer evaluations at the end of the term. On the other hand, students earn points for most class meetings, either through participation activities or team quizzes. Students who miss class can complete participation activities early but I do not offer make-ups. Students who miss or are late to team quizzes earn a zero on the quiz. Thus, frequent absences become evident in student's grades as they miss the points associated with each class day. Looking forward to thoughts and suggestions about these issues! cheers, lm Laura Madson, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Psychology New Mexico State University Las Cruces, NM 88003 [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> (575) 646-6207 On Oct 1, 2015, at 1:51 PM, Amanda Rees <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: Dear James, Great to hear from another person teaching in general education courses (first and second year of the US 4-year undergraduate university system for those TBLers in other parts of the world). In my intro 1000 level college class everyone has to sign t-RATs and applications when they are complete. Both the t-RAT multiple choice question handout and application handout have space for the team name and team members present. This is how I keep track of attendance. I don't give a grade for attendance. Instead, individual team members will not receive a grade if they've not attended either t-rats or applications. I have a cover sheet on the front of every team folder that clearly indicates the grade each team receives for t-RATs and applications. Folks get a 0 if they don't participate in those activities. Outcomes are various. * The literature on best practices indicates that having them physically present in the classroom generates a much better outcome. I've increased my attendance levels (much higher than before I applied TBL) and I can quickly identify folks who are in trouble. * The state funding formula for Georgia system public institutions now emphasizes retention, progression, and graduation rates (rather than just a per capita payment) this really helps with the retention and progression portion. * We have a requirement at my institution to provide a bi-weekly report on attendance for anyone using VA benefits for college (just started this semester). This method provides a very quick way for me to check on attendance as I have 10% of my class in this situation. * It is my experience that team members are EXTREMELY generous to their team mates whether they attend or not. I only see the very worst offenders being penalized for lack of team engagement and attendance. So, offering the carrot of a grade for t-RATs and application seems to be effective at coming to a reasonable grade for reasonable effort. Manda Dr. Amanda Rees Professor of Geography, Department of History and Geography Tel: (706) 507 8358 Fax: (706) 507-8362 E-mail: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> Web: <mailto:[log in to unmask]> http://columbusstate.academia.edu/AmandaRees Coordinator<http://history.columbusstate.edu/columbuscommunitygeography.php>: Columbus Community Geography Center<http://history.columbusstate.edu/columbuscommunitygeography.php> Mailing Address: Department of History and Geography, Columbus State University 4225 University Avenue, Columbus, GA 31907, U.S.A. Office Location: 901 Front Avenue,Yancey Center at One Arsenal Place Room 350 (campus map<http://www.columbusstate.edu/maps/CampusMap-Oct2012-Color.pdf#page=2>) On Thu, Oct 1, 2015 at 12:58 PM, James Latham <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: I would be very interested to hear from others who teach Intro Level Undergraduate Courses on this topic. I find myself going back and forth between grading/not-grading and credit for attendance. If I grade the application activities, then I lean toward give the grade to the team and allow peer evaluations (and application grades) to incentivize attendance. But if I don't grade, then I tend to lean toward participation grades and zeros for no-attendance and peer evals for unprepared/non-contributors. I would prefer not to grade nor take attendance for applications. An internalized motivation for the love of learning would be wonderful, but in an intro level class I find some incentive is necessary (at least for a portion of the students) Michael James "Michael" Latham, Ph.D. Professor of Economics Business & Computer Systems Collin College SCC J228 ________________________________ From: Team-Based Learning <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> on behalf of Amanda Rees <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> Sent: Thursday, October 1, 2015 10:56 AM To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: Attendance for application exercises Dear TBLers So, this is an interesting reflection perhaps on student maturity. I'm so excited that students are so engaged they stay for applications even though there are no grades. However, in a first year classroom teaching a general education requirement if there is no grade attached to applications I would have few if any folks staying. Manda Dr. Amanda Rees Professor of Geography, Department of History and Geography Tel: (706) 507 8358 Fax: (706) 507-8362 E-mail: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> Web: <mailto:[log in to unmask]> http://columbusstate.academia.edu/AmandaRees Coordinator<http://history.columbusstate.edu/columbuscommunitygeography.php>: Columbus Community Geography Center<http://history.columbusstate.edu/columbuscommunitygeography.php> Mailing Address: Department of History and Geography, Columbus State University 4225 University Avenue, Columbus, GA 31907, U.S.A. Office Location: 901 Front Avenue,Yancey Center at One Arsenal Place Room 350 (campus map<http://www.columbusstate.edu/maps/CampusMap-Oct2012-Color.pdf#page=2>) On Thu, Oct 1, 2015 at 10:42 AM, Anderson, Max <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: At UIC, we have an attendance policy for TBL: http://chicago.medicine.uic.edu/departments___programs/program_offices/undergraduate_medical_education/curriculum/md_program__year_1_/team-_based_learning/team-_based_learning_attendance_policy We do not grade the Application portion and attendance is optional. I would say that 99% of students stay with the TBL even though they know that once we get to the Application portion, they are technically allowed to leave. Max From: Team-Based Learning on behalf of "Budd, Kristen" Reply-To: "Budd, Kristen" Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2015 at 19:39 To: "[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>" Subject: Re: Attendance for application exercises Hi Alison, I agree with Kare. Because you haven't built a policy into your syllabus, it's best to rely on the peer evaluations. Granted, if you have a general attendance policy in your syllabus you could lean on that; for example, if they need to provide documentation of illness, etc. My syllabus details that they cannot make up team in-class applications because they have to be there to participate. Keeping in mind that life happens, I do drop two scores at the end of the semester. (To clarify, I don't grade in class applications. They count for 20 participation points per activity). I hope this helps. Best, Kristen On Wed, Sep 30, 2015 at 8:19 PM, Alison Bates <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: Hello, I am teaching my first TBL course and decided to grade the in-class application exercises (upon several threads here since the semester started, I probably wouldn’t do this again). Regardless, I am having a problem: absent students during graded in-class work. It’s not widespread but nonetheless each class maybe 1-2 absent students. I did not specify in my syllabus how this would be handled. My first reaction was to give the missing students a 0 for that exercise, but I do have the peer multiplier built into group grades. How have others dealt with this issue? Thanks for any advice, Alison Alison Bates Lecturer (Renewable Energy & Sustainability) Department of Environmental Conservation University of Massachusetts Amherst Holdsworth 209 160 Holdsworth Way Amherst, MA 01003 [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> 413-545-1768<tel:413-545-1768> ________________________________ To unsubscribe from the TEAMLEARNING-L list, please click here.<https://lists.ubc.ca/scripts/wa.exe?SUBED1=TEAMLEARNING-L&A=1> Further information about the UBC Mailing Lists service can be found on the UBC IT website. -- Kristen M. Budd, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Faculty Pre-Law Advisor Sociology, Criminology, and Social Justice Studies Miami University Upham Hall 367D Oxford, Ohio 45056-1879 U.S.A. E-mail: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> Phone: 513-529-1598<tel:513-529-1598> Chair-Elect, Crime & Juvenile Delinquency Division, Society for the Study of Social Problems (2015-2017) Chair, Crime & Juvenile Delinquency Division, Society for the Study of Social Problems (2017-2019) [http://miamioh.edu/_files/images/ucm/resources/logo/email-FSLOD_186K.jpg] ________________________________ To unsubscribe from the TEAMLEARNING-L list, please click here.<https://lists.ubc.ca/scripts/wa.exe?SUBED1=TEAMLEARNING-L&A=1> Further information about the UBC Mailing Lists service can be found on the UBC IT website. ________________________________ To unsubscribe from the TEAMLEARNING-L list, please click here.<https://lists.ubc.ca/scripts/wa.exe?SUBED1=TEAMLEARNING-L&A=1> Further information about the UBC Mailing Lists service can be found on the UBC IT website. ________________________________ To unsubscribe from the TEAMLEARNING-L list, please click here.<https://lists.ubc.ca/scripts/wa.exe?SUBED1=TEAMLEARNING-L&A=1> Further information about the UBC Mailing Lists service can be found on the UBC IT website. ________________________________ To unsubscribe from the TEAMLEARNING-L list, please click here.<https://lists.ubc.ca/scripts/wa.exe?SUBED1=TEAMLEARNING-L&A=1> Further information about the UBC Mailing Lists service can be found on the UBC IT website. ######################################################################## To unsubscribe from the TEAMLEARNING-L list, please click the following link: https://lists.ubc.ca/scripts/wa.exe?SUBED1=TEAMLEARNING-L&A=1 Further information about the UBC Mailing Lists service can be found on the UBC IT website.